Advertising apparatus



l May 19, 1925.

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Z, @4W @Zw Patented May 19, 1925.

NORBERT4 CHARLES DEIGHAN, 0E CLEVELAND, omo.

ADVERTISING APPARATUS. i

Application led May 12,

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, NORBERT CHARLES DEIGHAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Advertising Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to advertising apparatus and more particularly to apparatus especially adapted for outdoor advertising, although `not limited to such use.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide advertising apparatus comprising movable scenery representing a landscape or equivalent scenery with space thereon to be traversed by a vehicle of some sort and means for giving such movements to the scenery and to the vehicle as will produce the illusion of the vehicle traversing the space.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the kind referred to adapted for installation in relatively large units and also for continuous operation by comparatively simple means and, when desired, to be visible from different streets, as when located on a space between two parallel streets.

Other objects and the features of novelty will be apparent from lthe following de`- scription taken `inconn'ection with the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an advertising sign embodying my invention, with parts broken away to show some of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 3 as they appear from the line 4-4 of that figure.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragment of Fig. 1 with parts shown in section;

Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates a suitable frame supported on a suitable foundation indicated at the points 11, 12 and 13. rIhis frame is preferably of a decorative nature, as indicated in Fig. 1, and is Provided with an opening 14 through which taken on the 1923. Serial No. 638,526.

the display parts of the apparatus may be viewed. The frame 10 may be of any length desired and I contemplate embodying the invention in constructions of various sizes from a small apparatus suitable for display in astore window up to apparatus having a length of'iifty or more feet and of different widths depending upon the location of the apparatus and the number of sides from which it is desired that the display portions thereof shall be visible. In Fig.

2 I have indicated a rectangular frame 1() such as would be suitable for exhibiting the display portion of the apparatus on four sides and I have indicated the various openings on the four sides by the numeral 14. Apparatus such as indicated in Fig. 2 can be made in any length desired and is suitable for installation on a vacant lot between two parallel streets from which `the sides 15 and 16, respectively, may be viewed, and the ends 17 and 18 viewed by people approaching from either direction on said streets or from' a cross street in case the sign is located on a corner property.

The display apparatus consists of a suitable fabric 19 hung vertically and preferablyv in the form of an endless beltV passing around long rollers or pulleys 20, 21, 22 and 23. In Fig. 2 I have indicated the fabric 19 as passing from the roller or pulley 23 around a roller or pulle 24 and thence in zigzag formation aroun a series of rollers or pulleys 25 vto the roller or pulley 26 whence the fabric passes to the roller 20. .It will be understood that the fabric may, if desired, pass directly from the roller or pulley 23. to the, roller or pulley 20, where a comparatively short scene, which is `frequently repeated, in the operation of the device, is suitable. However, when it is. desired tohave a comparatively long scene that ris repeated, in the operation of the device, at

relatively long intervals, I prefer to use the zigzag formation above described; Painted on or otherwise applied to the fabric 19 is suitable scenery preferably representing a landscape or a water scene or other space to -be traversed by some form of vehicle. Ad-

vertisements may be arranged on the scenery as illustrated in Fig. 1. This scenery is so arranged as to be visible through the various openings 14 and, in order to move the fabric, I provide an electric motor 27 or other suitable power device which may be operatively connected with the pulley 21 by suitable gearing 28,l for in'any.v other :preferred manner.

to properly move it, I .arrange'along vits upper and lower edges suitable chains 29 and 30, respectively. These chains are-:secured to the edges of the fabric at frequent intervals and run around suit-able sprockets von the various rollers or pulleys on which the fabric'` 19 runs.

In 'order to support the upper edgejof the fabric'19 vand prevent saggingI'u'se anyTV suitable-'device-such asthe sprockets-31 which are rotatably arranged ony the verticallyarranged shafts 32,'the latter beingl preferably supportedfroin the frame=10 by a hinge-connection 33, as indicated in Fign. spring `34 "tends-to draw lthe'lsprocket 31` towardthe plane of-the'fabric 19 and thereby maintainsl the sprocket=in engagement with the chain 30.* In orderto back up the chain-'30,f"adjacent the sprockets-31, I use a pairtof sprockets 35 arranged on opposite sidesfof the sprocket 31 and'carried by a suitablebracket 36. From Figs2 and 7 it willbe apparent that the device described will, whenplaced at frequent intervalsalong the chain- 30, support' the fabric 19 vand maintain it 'in its propen position.y

Referring-to Figli-1, it will be observedf thatI have7 indicated, fas a part of the scenery-on -thefabric 19, a highway at 37 l and a railroadk track at V33. lSupported in frontof the fabric 19 in a relatively stationy ary position, is a representation of anautomobile 39, this representa-tion being carried by thebrackets` 40(see Figs-3 and 4) `in such irelation tothe scenery as to producel the illusion of an automobile on the highway 37. In order toy give life7 to the scenethe wheels. .41 of theautomobile may., in an apparatus for outdoordisplay, be ofsubstan tiallyj naturalr s izeiand equipped'V with real tires and be connected with the-representation 39 by springs 42 'which will allo-wy the wheels to move' up and down rin the same way that automobile wheels move in traversing a highway. Thewheels 41 are rotatably mounted; and runv on an endless chain 43 which is arrangedjust below theopening 14. The chain 43 carries lugs' 44 at frequentintervals 'and when these lugs pass under the wheels 41 the latter are-raised and lowered to giveV the eifect'ofpassing over a bump in the road.- The chainv43 lisV carried' on suitable-sprockets 45 land one-of the sprockets 45 has"conn'ected therewith a pulley-46 over which an endless belt 47 passes.- Thebelt 47- also-.passes over a pulley 48 which is keyed to the shaft 49 and a? pulley 50` is alsokeyed to this ,shaft and driven by a belt 51 from a pulley 52 on the roller or pulley 20 softhat the' chain 43 will be driven in timed relationto the; fabric 19.

In order to give the illusion of a moving' A tensionl ktrain. the'track38 is preferably made'of a flexiblematerialsuchlas rubber and secured In order to support the fabric 19 and`v to-rthe--facemof the fabric 19 in such manner as to indicate grades and curves in the railroad. HThe"representation of a train is indicatedxat 53 and consists of a locomotive and several cars, coupled together.

The smoke from the locomotive is represented at 54 and extends to a point behind the frame 10 where it is pivotally connected 75 with la suitable supporting bracket 55.. The wheels 54 of the locomotive and the cars I are preferably grooved: so as to run on the'V `track38 and from:- thef drawings, and par- 'l ticularly Figs. "1, 5 and 6, it will be apparent w 80 that the ymoveinentwof the fabric '19, with the scenery thereon, will produce the il-f lusion of atrain running along the'track 38. Ihilerl have illustrated, in connection 'with the movablevscenery merely an auto- 85 vmobile and a train, it willibe understoodV that the invention is not limited to these de-. vices and that other forms-of vehiclesand other scenes maybe utilized for the purpose-1 of giving life to the apparatus. I, theref fore, contemplate in the claims, thatthe yterms vehicleand1spaceto -be traversedby the vehicle Vshallinclude vdifferent'forms. "u

of vehicles and the space to'be traversed by each. e 95 Having thus described vmy invention, what I claim4 is:

1.. In apparatus of the class. described, the combination of a frame',1a movable fabric t. supported on said 4frame and. having'scenery 100 thereon''representingl space toibe traversed l1 `-by a vehicle,-' a representation cfa vehicle supported in front of said scenery, means for movi-ng saidfabric in a direction to 'give y'the illusion of saidvehicle traversing said T105 space, and meansron saidfabric engagedY by f said vehicle and arranged* to produce movementsfinsaid vehiclein a plane parallel to` the plane of the adjacent portion of said fabric. 110 2. In apparatus of the class described, the? combination of a frame, vertically arranged shafts in said frame, an endless fabric arranged on said shafts,.relatively fixed means': for supporting said fabric intermediate said shafts to prevent sagging'ofthefabric, said fabrichaving scenery: thereon representing f space to be traversed by a vehicle, a represen-ti tation` ofa vehicle supportedin front of said scenery, by means invisibleffroin outside the. 420 apparatus, 'in positiony to produce the il-VV lusion of traversing said space, and.` means 1 on said fabric cooperating'withisaidrepresentation of a vehicle to .produce movements. Y

thereof.V

3. Inapparatusof the'y class described, the' combination `of a fra1ne,-vertically arranged shafts in said` frame, anV endless fabric arrangedon said shafts, relatively fixed ineans f for supporting said fabric intermediate said ."0

shafts to prevent sagging of the fabric, said fabric having scenery thereon representing space to be traversed by a vehicle, a representation of a vehicle supported in front of said scenery, by means invisible from outside the apparatus, in position to produce the illusion of traversing said space7 exible guiding means secured on said fabric, and means on said representation of a vehicle engaging said guiding means to produce 10 vertical movements in the vehicle.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

NORBERT CHARLES DEIGHAN. 

